Coleman Sundome 4 Tent Evaluate

Backside Line

The Coleman Sundome 4 prioritizes affordability above all else. Nevertheless, it nonetheless presents a great worth for these seeking to discover a no-frills tent. The Sundome 4 lacks fashionable options, makes use of common supplies, and has an outdated design. That mentioned, we have been pleasantly shocked by how practical it’s, particularly given its budget-friendly value. It additionally fills a distinct segment that’s turning into more and more uncommon within the outside trade – good $100 tents.

The Sundome 4 is simple to arrange, packs away with out trouble, and presents ample area for 2 campers, with the flexibility to squeeze in 4 if wanted. Regardless of its restricted rainfly protection, the tent performs admirably in numerous climate situations. Nevertheless, it’s not constructed for heavy or frequent use. 

This tent is greatest suited to occasional campers who need an inexpensive possibility for a number of household journeys a 12 months. If that sounds such as you, the Coleman Sundome 4 might be simply what you’re searching for.

To discover extra of our top-performing tenting tents, take a look at our gear information for the Finest Tenting Tents of 2024.

Consolation

The Sundome 4 is marketed as a four-person tent. Though it might probably technically accommodate 4, it’s a decent match. At 9′ x 7′, it really works higher as a roomy two-person tent with area for gear. When you do match 4 folks, anticipate minimal room and no area for tools inside. When Gear Analyst Ben Dawson examined this tent together with his spouse and two younger youngsters, it felt cramped, they usually needed to retailer gear outdoors to save lots of area.

With a peak peak of 4′ 11″, most campers can sit up comfortably however gained’t have the ability to stand. Nevertheless, there’s sufficient room to kneel and transfer round with out feeling overly restricted.

The Sundome 4 is greatest suited to gentle climate. Air flow is restricted, even with its home windows, and it might probably get uncomfortably sizzling inside.  If tenting in heat situations, set it up within the shade to maintain the inside from turning into stifling.

Sturdiness

The Sundome is a light-duty tent, and there’s no denying that. It’s not low-quality, however Coleman made it with lower-cost supplies that aren’t designed to resist heavy or frequent use. That mentioned, we haven’t encountered any main points with the standard of our tent, except for a number of bent stakes. Nevertheless, that is widespread when tenting on rocky Colorado soil. When you’re in a campground and take care when pitching your tent, you’ll be able to probably keep away from bending the stakes regardless of their lack of sturdiness.

The weakest level of this tent is its skinny fiberglass poles. Fiberglass has its place in tenting tents, however we’d prefer to see thicker poles included with the Sundome. Utilizing an excessive amount of pressure throughout setup or teardown can simply end in a damaged pole.

General, should you deal with the Sundome with care and restrict its use to occasional summer season weekends, it ought to final for a number of seasons.

Climate Resistance

After we first examined the Sundome 4, our expectations for its efficiency in a rainstorm have been fairly low. We even introduced a backup tent, anticipating the Sundome may flip right into a swimming pool when the rain hit. With unsealed seams, seen daylight by means of the nook stitching, and minimal rainfly protection, it didn’t encourage a lot confidence.

Then the rain got here—and the tent stayed dry! Even after one other wet day, it nonetheless held up, which was truthfully shocking. We assumed water would seep by means of the corners, however by some means it stayed fully dry. Effectively, nearly.

It’s not all sunshine, although. The small rainfly left the home windows susceptible to blowing rain throughout wind gusts, forcing us to shut them completely and sacrificing the already minimal air flow. Talking of wind, the Sundome doesn’t carry out effectively. The skinny fiberglass poles wrestle towards even average winds, inflicting the tent to flex and the fly to whip noisily. For windy situations, it’s greatest to pitch this tent in a sheltered spot.

Ease of Setup

The Sundome 4 is likely one of the best tents we arrange throughout our facet by facet assessments of the most effective tenting tents. It options two essential poles that join on the corners and slide by means of pole sleeves close to the highest of the tent. Plastic clips then safe the tent physique to the poles. The rainfly is small, with minimal materials, making it simple to connect as effectively. A 3rd, smaller cross-pole matches into webbing on the fly to maintain it taut. Moreover, two guylines may be staked to additional safe the fly. The fly attaches on the corners utilizing giant plastic hooks, finishing the setup course of.

At a comparatively low peak, this tent can simply be arrange by a single individual in about 5 to 7 minutes, and even sooner with a accomplice. Its easy design and minimal parts make it a wonderful possibility for these looking for simplicity of their tenting gear.

Options

The Sundome 4 isn’t precisely full of options like among the extra premium tents we’ve examined. One space the place it falls quick is storage. When you’re tenting with 4 folks, discovering a spot to retailer your gear inside will likely be a problem. Like us, it’s possible you’ll find yourself maintaining your gear outdoors, but when so, be ready for good climate. The tent lacks vestibules, and we’ve needed to transfer our gear into the automobile greater than as soon as when rain rolled in whereas tenting in Colorado’s foothills.

Contained in the tent, you’ll discover two small mesh pockets, every simply sufficiently big for a headlamp, telephone, and possibly a charger or two. There’s one pocket on all sides, together with a single loop on the tent’s peak for hanging gear or a lightweight. Air flow comes from two half-moon-shaped zip-down home windows—one on the door and one on the rear wall reverse it.

The Sundome’s most original function is Coleman’s E-port, a flap within the nook of the tent that means that you can run an extension twine inside should you’re tenting close to an outlet. Although the options are first rate for the value, we’d like to see extra inside storage choices.

Ought to You Purchase the Coleman Sundome 4 Tent?

The Coleman Sundome 4 fills a selected area of interest that not many tents cater to. It’s a light-duty possibility, which means it’s not designed to resist heavy use or harsh situations. When you camp incessantly or in difficult environments, this isn’t the tent for you. Nevertheless, for infrequent campers who plan to enterprise out a number of instances a 12 months to campgrounds or well-established backcountry websites, it might be a wonderful match.

For summer season tenting and rare journeys, there’s little have to spend some huge cash on a tent that can spend most of its time in storage. The Sundome 4 is right for 2 campers however can accommodate a household of 4, supplied two of them are young children. When you’re seeking to benefit from the outside a number of instances a 12 months with out breaking the financial institution, the Coleman Sundome 4 could be the proper alternative for you.

What Different Tenting Tents Ought to You Contemplate?

For extra choices, please see our full information to the greatest tenting tents.

Kelty Wi-fi 6 – The Wi-fi 6 is a superb various, providing extra space and higher-quality supplies. Though it’s costlier than the Sundome, it’s a wonderful alternative should you plan to camp extra incessantly or want extra area and twin vestibules for gear storage.

Marmot Tungsten 4 – When you favor a four-person tent with the same footprint to the Sundome however need higher-quality supplies that may higher stand up to the weather, the Marmot Tungsten 4 is value contemplating. It options absolutely taped seams, 7000-series aluminum poles, and two vestibules for gear storage.